Select a Program

Finish your degree in one of three part-time bachelor’s programs that offer the academic rigor of Northwestern University, tailored for the busy schedules of adults returning to school. Each program carries its own set of requirements, so you can select an academic path that suits your needs. Courses are scheduled on weekday evenings, Saturdays and online.

Part-time Bachelor's Degree Programs

Majors

Anthropology studies humankind from a broad comparative and historical perspective. Anthropologists attempt to describe specific cultural traditions, forms of social structures, languages and specific transitions in human evolution and cultural history.

Art history explores the historical meaning of art, architecture and design. The study of art over time enables students to develop acute visual sensibilities and finely honed skills of critical looking, thinking, speaking and writing.

The science of biology is the study of living organisms at all levels of complexity and in all their diversity. The goal of the biological sciences program at Northwestern is to develop and enhance the intellectual and creative potential of life sciences students.

Communication studies explores the most fundamental and pervasive of human activities. The study of human communication ranges from interpersonal processes such as persuasion and relationship formation to organizational processes such as group leadership and dispute resolution.

The major in communication systems combines the theoretical focus of communication studies with the practical skills of information technology. This flexible, interdisciplinary study prepares students to perform on the cutting edge of modern media systems and develop skills that are critical in a rapidly-changing field.

Economists study how individuals, families, companies and nations confront difficult choices about how to use limited resources to meet various needs and wants. The major in economics enables students to understand the basic concepts, theories and techniques of economics and become familiar with the way economists think about problems and devise solutions to them.

The major in English and American literature enables students to pursue their specific academic interests within a broader understanding of literary history and study. Students in the major examine literature's relationship to its intellectual and artistic traditions, as well as to history, philosophy, culture and related fields.

The writing major offers students disciplined training in the writing of fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry. The major relies on workshop formats to provide feedback and nurture talent. A robust literature component further anchors writing within a context of general literacy.

In studying history, we study ourselves - the epic of humankind with all of its successes and failures, sacrifices and follies. If there is a single factor that distinguishes history from the other social sciences, it is the dimension of change and evolution over time that the historian brings to the events of today.

Information systems is the branch of computer science that focuses on analyzing the information needs of organizations and devising IT solutions that meet cost requirements and promote the organization's strategic goals. Students learn about current and emerging information systems while developing the communication skills that allow them to work collaboratively.

This innovative program is designed for busy professionals and enables students to complete course work in the organization behavior major in two-and-a-half years. While it includes a distance-learning component, the program relies on classroom-based instruction for core learning.

Mathematics plays a central role in modern society. It has long been an important tool in science and engineering, and is used increasingly in varied and sophisticated ways in the social sciences, the humanities and business. This major offers a variety of courses that address these diverse applications of mathematics.

Organization behavior is an interdisciplinary major that combines the theoretical understanding of an organization’s influence on the behaviors and attitudes of individuals with practical applications of that influence within an organization. The major gives students a broad conceptual foundation that allows them to maximize their roles within organizations.

Both a humanistic and social scientific discipline, political science is dedicated to the study of power, politics and government. Students in the major develop skills in critical thinking, data analysis and ethical reasoning while understanding the significance of current and past political events across the world.

Psychology is the scientific study of behavior – how people perceive the world, think and act. In addition to the obvious benefits of an understanding of human behavior, the major in psychology emphasizes the development of critical thinking skills and practical experience developing research ideas, analyzing data and communicating results.

The major in radio/television/film offers education in the history, theory and production of media. Extensive and interdisciplinary, the program offers a range of perspectives on media forms from cinema to broadcast television, alternative media to emerging technologies.

Sociology is a discipline that develops a humane understanding of the world. The sociology major offers a wide variety of approaches to fundamental issues of social inequality and its origins and consequences, including class and economic domination, race, ethnicity and gender.

Take a Course

Students who are not seeking a degree can still take SPS undergraduate courses in more than 30 subjects. Registering as a student-at-large at SPS provides the opportunity to take one or more courses for personal enrichment or to prepare for future educational or career paths. Students-at-large may take courses for credit or audit courses in which auditing is permitted.